Their purpose is to give the community a low-cost resource that provides the knowledge and tools necessary to maintain and repair their various forms of human-powered transportation, such as Bicycling. They have new and used bikes, parts, and accessories for donation along with tools and advice on how to fix your bicycle so you can get back to bicycling. The Church is non-profit and operated by volunteers. Tithing: All dues go to providing the community with more tools and a better workspace. If you have a bike, bike parts or tools you are no longer using, please consider donating them to the Bike Church!

If you know something about bike repair, go volunteer. Just sign up on the schedule as an acolyte and show up at that shift. They also need some help organizing and making the space a bit more holy, as well as organizing with respect to the City and University. To see if your expertise could be used at the Bike Church, visit the improvement plans page.

Send a request to "bikeministry AT gmail DOT com" if you would like to be added to our congregation email list. You will periodically receive emails about news and events related to the Bike Church and bicycling activities around the area, specifically events where you can help us further our mission.

We're always looking for new ministers—whether you know anything about bikes or not. To become a minister, come to the church during open hours and talk to the minister on duty, he/she can show you around, find out how much you know and what you want to learn. We also need more "Friends of The Church" or "Monks and Nuns" to help run operations—you don't need to know how to fix bikes to help out, proselytize, or even be a minister!

This wiki entry covers a previous organization that no longer exists... please see the new Davis Bike Collective page for up-to-date info and new location.

Photos

in the beginning

The Dream (Chris and Ted F '04?) The Church The project rack A big pile of bikes and parts North side of the church Wheel building session

tumultuous times

Minister Tyler preparing for Picnic DayThe Reverend Jason locks up the bikes. The recycle pile Ansel Rocks Do Work. flier found at russel and anderson flier found near arco

Rebirth and remembering

New Geo-Dome errection F 07 from 'The Dream' spot F '08 The project rack after the GPF a big pile of bikes and parts? recycle pile? now entry way putting in a new dome floor the new North side of the church Sorting parts in the new dome Making some signage happen.

Bike Church Dance Party!

The Crowd The Crowd, Again Friar Robbie Raffling Obi Jan Armon and Cat Darach overlooking the crowd Waiting intently Siobhan announces a winner! We have a winner! The Giveaway To me, to me! Woooo! Over Here! Another Lucky Winner! Dance Party! More Dancing! End of the Night Janaki and Cat

Bike Church Ops

Carl wrenches with the best of 'em. Funny looks and troubleshooting. Intense bike healing.

Share your religious experience at the Bike Church

2006-04-16 13:38:48 I went to the bike church yesterday (2006-4-15) with a bike badly in need of salvation. Ministers Tai and Jason were very helpful. With their guidance, I was able to see the light and restored something completely unrideable into a pretty cool bike for a small donation. I highly reccomend the Bike Church for those who have not found the Path of Righteousness. —ArlenAbraham

2006-05-22 16:34:10 Hey, I'm looking to not only build a bike from its component parts, but also build a bike trailer so I don't have to use a vehicle to go shopping or to the garden. I want to get saved! —KarlMogel

2006-07-28 23:33:43 The bike church is a great resource and people ought to take advantage of it! Every time I see somebody around town with a broken up bike or something wrong I tell them to go to the church (I should take my own advice, too!) —PhilipNeustrom

2006-09-07 22:37:20 I have been delivered! The Bike Church is like arriving at Heaven's gates. —EliseKane

2006-12-05 17:08:16 Do you guys know where I could track down any moulten [F frame] parts? I need a spindel for an internal hub shifter so I can make this awesome bike work —StevenDaubert P.s. It's from the 60's and has full suspension, it rules.

2006-12-06 23:08:03 The bike church was awesome, I came there saying I needed a bike, and left, with greasy hands, proud of my handicraft, returned to add finishing touches, it was awesome, fun, and an experience better than any bike shopping trip, per-fect-ion. —DavidPoole

2007-01-22 11:30:55 I was driving one day and BAM, god sent me a message. It was in the form of a dead tree, falling from the glorious sky it smashed my windshield and totaled my false idol. As my life flashed before my eyes, I had a vision. A vision where we lived in a world in which there was no Auto Industrial Complex. A world of peace, I was saved. —MorganTorngrenTatman

2007-02-01 10:21:49 All the people at the bike church make bikes seem so sexy! I mean, greasy and working with their hands? HOT. —SiobhanBraybrook

"2007-03-25 06:19:10" Since I am Not working right now appointments can be made on off schedule days at the bike church. You can email me at fixitdude_one@yahoo.com. A confirmation reply will be sent A.S.A.P. —monkfixit

2007-04-07 03:55:21 hey there reverends. i became enlightened today when i saw the power of the bike goddess in the vision of a bright flier at the anderson and russel cross-walk! i noticed they were on all four corners! great advertising! now the grad has to compete with their advertising space. maybe i should privatize each light post and charge you to advertise on it!! = D one suggestion, you may want to consider putting the fliers where the button for bikers to cross is. you know what i'm talking about? —JessicaRockwell

2007-04-25 19:52:12 I saw the mobile church today at the MU. It looks fantastic! —EmilyKleber

2007-05-05 01:34:30 very helpful, started on my own project bike —KaiWan

2007-05-13 20:21:50 the best neighbor is the Bike Church! Thank you all!! - j.ro —JordanThompson

2007-05-16 18:15:46 I was spreading the gospel today, clued in a few more folks about what goes down at the Bike 'Chuch' —StevenDaubert

2007-05-23 22:44:25 The Bike church is awesome...the guys are so helpful and knowledgeable...i love the place — SoumenRoy

2007-06-01 12:44:31 bike church is a good place to learn how to fix your own bike, but the downside is, is that it is hard to come by certain tools. If you are a student and know what you are doing, the bike barn is usually a better place to fix your bike, they have everything you'll need (except quality help). —KyleLanderhoffis

What tools in particular does the bike church lack? My experience has been the opposite of yours: the bike church has a better selection of tools than the bike barn. If something important is missing, just tell a minister and someone will probably donate it or perhaps the church will buy it with their donation money. —WilliamLewis

I have also been there a few times and found all the tools that I needed. More importantly the guys are so helpful and nice. I however went last Friday to get a basket for my bike and did not find a usable one.—SoumenRoy

2007-06-24 00:47:09 bike church is amazing. i brought an unrideable craigslist 70's era road bike in to be fixed up, and the minister on duty was very helpful. he explained everything clearly, helped us find all the parts we needed, and told us exactly what we needed to do to fix it (stepping in when we needed extra help). it now rides very smoothly! —ZiweiHu

2007-07-03 12:25:46 Great article on Reverend Moorepants in today's aggie. Includes quotes form Minister Congleton. Thanks Arlen for forwarding info. Learn more about the Bike Chuch from an outside source. article —MorganTorngrenTatman

2007-07-30 17:45:24 This is such a cool page! Good for all of you who contribute photos, comments, and great humor! I love it! —RichLindvall

2007-08-09 12:38:32 YAY FOR ENLIGHTENMENT!!!! I hope, hope y'all will be continuing with the Minister Training! It would be soooo awsome to the max to be able to work on my own bike, yay! —Schmidt

2007-08-25 23:02:42 Daviswiki's Bike Church page is a great resource, but wouldn't it be great if there was a bicycle wiki? I think the Church, with all of its expertise, should consider starting one. —JessicaRuygt

2007-08-28 10:08:29 I highly recommend Tai. He's a perfect example of what the bike church is about. patient, encouraging, and i ended up learning how to do everything and then actually doing it! the other people who were present on saturday were additional bonuses to my bike church adventure. —JessicaRockwell

2007-09-03 21:56:37 Is there going to be another minister training course in the fall? could there be one if I made pie? pleeease —EmilyKleber

2008-02-05 20:08:27 I need a minister, badly

I hate riding my peugot, and that is almost a crime in and of itself. I need at the very least a safety improvement, as my brakes can't crash stop...

and the axle needs to be changed out, etc. I just don't want to ride out to the domes on the bike of h8 and have there be no minister —StevenDaubert

2008-03-31 21:19:47 I work on Wednesdays and Saturdays. My bike is in need of holy guidance (especially the back tire bearings). How else can I seek spiritual healing? —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-03-31 21:30:23 Sunjeet— E-mail the ministry with a good time for you to work (maybe a sunday—no classes...) and I'm sure one of us can work out an appointment with you. A few of us live at the domes so it's pretty convenient. Some of us are just there all the time anyway. —SisterCat

2008-04-04 08:12:46 Hey, are you guys a registered nonprofit yet? If yes, check into applying for a mini-grant ($50-400) from [the Davis Coop Community Fund]. Leave me a message if you have questions. Application due next Friday! —JoRo

2008-04-04 10:00:28 I have a bike which has many problems, the biggest problem right now is that it's locked to itself with a chain lock and I lost the key. Is there a way to set it free? —CalamityJanie

I have a similar issue with a previous housemate moving out and away and leaving his bike behind saying we can have it. But he took the key with him. So now we have this bike in our backyard that is locked up and doing nothing more than rusting and giving a home to spiders and such. Anyone have any ideas of how to get use out of this bike (especially since my bike broke down and will supposedly cost $50+ since I know nothing on how to fix bearings)? —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-04-10 16:26:59 Hi all,

Great work on cleaning things up. Since you all have limited hours, how about an accessible locked cash donation box. I think you'd make some $$ from the people who stop by and scavenge stuff from the graveyard. —RichardJacobsen

2008-05-06 15:36:25 So I was at the Bike Church, and I was thinking...imagine an organization like the Bike Church, except with computers. Old computers are dirt cheap now, and completely useful. Building computers for students or low-income families or something.

Anyway, thanks to all the ministers at the Bike Church for all the help! —JoeyBennett

That is a super idea. There are free, lightweight versions of Linux that run fine for simple email and word processing on old, "outdated" computers. It could be a fun project if there's a place to store the machines. —DanaSullivan

2008-05-12 10:00:02 How do people feel about a Davis Peoples Free School bike workshop over the summer? Would anyone actually show up to it? I was thinking of a format along the lines of having a few bikes to take apart and put back together, which we'd do together, and that way everyone get sort of a smorgasboard of bike formats and stuff if there were several bikes prepared for the course. And since they'd all be functional bikes at the start, folks would know what bike mechanisms ought to look like... anyway, what I'm saying is, I'm looking for feedback. Thanks, y'all. Oh, and are any ministers interested in running this with me? I'm thinking 2 non-bike-church mornings in the early summer— one to take the bikes apart, and another to put them back together. —SisterCat

Hey SisterCat, this sounds like a great idea. What better way to learn about how a bike than to take it apart and put it back together?- I'd happily show up! —AllyAnaheim

I, too, would gladly make it to a bike workshop like this! —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-05-14 00:19:58 I would like to say the bike church is a true asset to students and average Davis folks who need you yes you rabbi's & ministers. Simon and others are the coolest people helpful and pleasant Thank you bike church for what you do yes U! —Brians

2008-05-14 23:36:06 I went here today with a messed up tire, knowing *nothing* about how to fix a bike. Thankfully, the people there were really nice and patient and gave me instructions on what to do to fix it up... and now I've learned how to replace it! Thank you bike church! :) —EvelinaChang

2008-06-22 22:37:08 Okay, so as far as the workshop: I'm going to do it as a part of Bikes are for Bitches this summer, but if you're a guy and want to come, that's okay: the idea behind BR4B is just that there is a space where people are conscious of an approach to mechanics outside the accepted norm our society holds it to. I've got a philosophy of cooperative, exploratory learning that I find is less intimidating to women and not-so-macho guys and other nondominant personalities. Pitching it to women is an oversimplification. But hey, it's something, right?

Okay, so the point is, come out to Bikes are for Bitches Sunday evenings for the bike stripdown/buildup workshop. —SisterCat

2008-06-25 01:01:41 I had a moment of sharing today on the East side of campus. The near-convert was in his truck looking for "the bike place by the domes" in order to make a donation (bike!). I hope he made it there after my unworthy directions. —robinlaughlin

2008-07-04 12:28:26 I go to school part time and work full time. Is there anything that you guys do on Sundays or Mondays? Those are the only times I ever have free... —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-07-08 10:30:17 i was wondering: are the summer hours the same? i.e. will the church be open tomorrow afternoon? i've got a bike in dire need of salvation... —paulwatkins

2008-07-27 03:20:00 I went to the work party today and it was a lot of fun. The people are friendly and it was a nice workout too. Can't wait to see it all renovated. —DanaSullivan

2008-08-01 10:30:05 My own work always seems to get in the way of me participating in Bike Church related things...:( —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-10-04 01:25:05 I bought a bike for way more than I should have on craigslist. It needed some serious work. The bike church was there for me. Have you formed a personal relationship with your bike? —CodyDuncan

2008-11-02 12:40:11 Instead of opting to buy a stock bike that my daughter would probably just outgrow in a year or two, I decided it'd be fun to restore an older one. With a bike I picked up at the Bike Auction (well, about 75% of a bike, that is) and a bit of crank advice from the Swami, I've finally finished the rebuild. Thanks Bike Church! —KevinChin

2008-11-06 18:44:21 Hello one and all,

I just received this e-mail and am enraged that Student Housing is demanding that the Church be shut down. Have they any idea what a beautiful part of the community the Bike Church is, not to mention how hard people worked to meet the SH safety standards? Read on and learn of the details, then REVOLT!

For those of you who haven't already heard, the Davis Bike Church has been evicted from its traditional stomping grounds of four years. This is a major bummer for those who've relied on its tool, part, and knowledge repositories, as the Bike Church is now in serious jeopardy.

To make a long story short, the Bike Church contacted various University departments last year in an effort to coordinate a renovation of the facility according to appropriate regulations. We thought we were past the "cease and desist" stage and into the "clean up to standards" stage of a grassroots organization, a belief based on numerous communications between Bike Church Ministers and University officials that demonstrated acknowledgment and approval of the Bike Church's existence on University property. Eventually, we got Student Housing to give us a list of what needed to be done. Thus began the Great Pedal Forward of the Summer of '08.

Through spending thousands of volunteer hours and over a thousand dollars in community donations, we were able to complete a massive renovation that included a floor for the dome, new cabinetry, restructured facilities, and a level of organization never before seen in our humble facilities. Despite efforts made to communicate with appropriate departments about inspection and approval of our facilities, the officials (except at EH&S) failed to work with us to meet their demands. Nevertheless, we believed we were on track for becoming an University-approved fixture in the Davis bicycling realm. We had a final inspection scheduled for October 1st to decide the fate of the Bike Church, until things suddenly changed.

After several shady unannounced inspections, Student Housing suddenly canceled the walk through inspection. After several weeks of no communication, we inquired about our fate. Chunk Huneke, the Student Housing representative, declared that we were a liability and a fire hazard, and due to our "open membership to the Davis community" and intial establishment "without specific approval", we must vacate and dismantle our structures by December 1st and clear all traces of the Bike Church from the Domes' land by December 31st. This is a major setback, but also a new opportunity. We're not exactly sure of the future of the Bike Church, but we are investigating and pursuing all options available. We are currently working on temporarily moving our experimental education facility to the Experimental College gardens before pursuing a closer relationship with the City of Davis, who has supported us in the past and is doing all they can to help us in these troubled times. However, this is still unsure.

How can you help?

This Saturday, November 8th, Delta of Venus is hosting the Save the Bike Church Danceparty sponsored by New Belgium Beer and KDVS, featuring DJs Mr. Glass, Dog Tones, and Deacon Morgan. There will be a petition and letter writing station, as well as further information about a demonstration occuring next week. We'll have more information about volunteering at the Bike Church, such as how to become a minister. Anyone can get involved in our non-hierarchal consensus organization, but we're also looking for specialists in non-profit organization. Come check it out, whether to get involved or just to show support by dancing the night away!

2008-11-08 09:08:56 For those of us who can't attend events, who would be the best university person to write a letter to? Would it be Huneke, or someone else? They can't take the Bike Church away! It's an important community resource, especially for those of us who are poor and/or want to learn to fix our bikes ourselves. D: —TaniaG

2008-11-10 21:16:23 Now that the 11/8/08 fun- & fundraiser is over, how else can people support the evolution of the Bike Church. In particular, where should money go? —DougWalter

We are looking into setting up a PayPal account, but until then, you can come by the Church and donate money if you're local! —TyNowotny

I work for a community business that was interested in making a donation; we dropped off some gift certificates at the Dance/fundraiser, and I guess we'll await developments. —DougWalter

2008-11-16 14:05:20 What a joke. Ministers of what? Donations? Just like any other church. Why even call it a church? Call it what it is, a junk yard filled with pan handlers. Tyler's a thief and a bum. Get a job asshole. To the dump with all of it, and hopefully something more useful will take its place. —rednoseroxy

2008-11-17 23:41:13 Damn right sir! I think that bike parts are useless. What will you do with them, put them on bicycles to make them run? How barbaric! I think we should restore the Bike Church area to what it originally was, an open lot. Everyone can use another open lot!

And why should you call the place a church when it only approximates an alternative version of the public service and community building functions that a church has orginally filled in western society? How silly to name things appropriately!

And that Tyler guy, a major asshole! He walks around and tries to fix your bike, the jerk. I like the grinding noise my bike makes, to blazes if it seizes up five miles down the road, I like the sound it makes right now!

Bah humbug! Away with this knavery, I demand the University install a full service bicycle shop so I can have my bike fixed by wage slaves whilst I polish my nails. None of this bike DIY punkery of the plebians! Freedom through education and transportation independence? How quaint. —Darach

2008-11-19 20:05:54 My compliments to the artist of the Dance Party poster :) —gurglemeow

2008-11-20 01:41:15 That was designed by a new KDVS volunteer, I'll pass the compliments. —Darach

2008-11-23 16:19:21 Hey, I'd like help from someone who speaks fluent chinese in translating some resources to help people out who don't speak english. We seem to get a fair number out at the church and I'd like to be more helpful to them. Contact me if you can help! (miss.callaway@gmail.com) —SisterCat Bold textItalic text'Italic text

2009-01-03 01:14:02 I'm going to pause Bikes are for Bitches during winter unless another lady/bitch-minister takes the reins. Crappy weather and already low attendance, you know. Thanks to the hardcore women who've attended in the past. Don't worry— it'll be back. —SisterCat

2009-01-16 11:31:43 thanks bike church for repairing my bike! absolutely the holiest reparation ever On a side note, I wanted to donate last wednesday when I came and visited. but there was no one to take donations. or really, i was too shy to call out any names. perhaps ill come back later to help. —chand3123k

2009-01-18 01:15:50 I visited the Church for the first time today and immediately got started on a beater project. It makes me very sad to think that it will be gone (hopefully temporarily) in two weeks. All the people there are super cool, too. —KellyM

2009-01-21 01:17:24 So what exactly is the status of the bike church? Evicted? Open? Sneakily using the space? Things seem active; what happened? —MichaelAWoods

2009-01-28 10:12:14 The university wants us to cease operations asap. We will still run until 1/31, as per our agreement. After that, no one knows. Which is why we need people stepping up to volunteer, right now. We need people to give back. —Darach

Is this still the issue with Student Housing, or has word come from a more general university authority? —JonathanLawton

What type of volunteer help do you need? Help ministering to people until you can't do it any longer, or help moving stuff to a storage location? I could help with the latter if there was a mass-"let's get the heck out of Dodge" moving party. —KevinChin

Any news?

2009-02-07 12:51:44 Ahhhh they were close on the 1/31. Thats the day I came to volunteer and no one was there. and a person needed to fix his bike. Well are they not here today? I was going to go up and volunteer. If there is no bike church anymore how do we start? But anyway, I am ready to volunteer! —chand3123k

2009-03-13 22:25:46 We are "closed," but people still hang out at the Bike Church site—mostly Domes residents. People are still helpful and friendly, and the tools are still there for use pretty reliably on Wednesdays and Saturdays—it's just not "the Bike Church" anymore. In other words, "the bike church is dead; long live the bike church!" You can't really stop it from operating, not as long as someone knows the shed combo and has some shred of a soul left. —SisterCat

2009-04-03 10:26:10 Has anyone looked at the cost of renting a space of similar size? There are many open places around Davis that could house the church, perhaps if we charged monthly dues we could afford an empty lot? —MasonMurray

2009-11-06 The Bike Church was a unique place where far more than bicycle repair took place. Interesting and diverse folks were always dropping by. Getting to know them while sharing bike experience was it's own reward. Working in an open air environment under the trees and sun, and sometimes rain, was also very pleasant. Wedged between the Domes and the EC Gardens it was as close to a bikers eutopia as possible. And although not a church or religion in the normal sense, it was a place of tranquillity, where people with shared and fervent beliefs in green practices, sustainability and foremost bicycling, helped others. I always liked it's no nonsense atmosphere and felt it was a religion I could get a wrench on. We miss you, Bike Church. -Obijan Kenobi